Water-cooling refrigerator



(No Model.) I' 2 sheets-sheet 1.

W. H. PIGKETT. WATER GOOLING REPRIGERATOR.

No. 475,414. l Patented May 24, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2..

. W. H. PIGKETT. WATER GUOLINGREPRIGBIRATOR.

No. 475,414.. .Patented May 24, 18492.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. PICKETT, OF WARREN, PENNSYLVANIA.

.WATER-COOLING REFRIGERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 475,414, dated May 24,1892.

Application tiled August 12, 1891. Serial No. 402,462. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. PIOKETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Varren, in the county of Warren and State of Pennsylvania,have invented new and useful Improvements in VVater-CoolingRefrigerators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a novel, simple, eiiicient,and economical domestic refrigerator, which is specially constructed torefrigerate the preserving-chamber, iilter and cool drinkingwater,andenable the ice-chamber and the water-cooling and ice-supporting box tobe conveniently and thoroughly cleaned when occasion demands.

To accomplish this object my invention in.- Volves the features ofconstruction and the combination or arrangement of devices hereinafterdescribed and claimed, reference being made to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a refrigeratorembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same.Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line a; Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is adetail perspective View of the casing, which constitutes the side wallsof the ice-chamber. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of theWater-cooling and ice-supporting box, and Fig. 6 is a vertical sectionalView of the Water-filter.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will now describe the same in detail, referring to thedrawings, wherein- The numeral 1 indicates a refrigerator structurehaving opening and closing doors 2 and the preserving-chamber 3,provided with suitable shelves 4, or otherwise constructed to fulfillthe conditions required in a domestic refrigerator.

The horizontal top wall 5 of the refrigerator structure is provided withan opening and closing door 6, and at one side thereof with a circularorifice in which is suspended a Water-filter 7, constructed of upper andlower cylindrical sections provided with iianges 8 at their adjoiningends. The flanges 8 are grooved to receive packing-rings 9, and betweenthe flanges is clamped the annular edge of a filtering plate or disk l0,which, as here shown, is dome-shaped to increase its superficial area,and thereby promote the filtering of the drinking-Water contained in theuppermost section 12 of the filter. The top portion of the filter isprovided with a suitable lid or cover 13 for introducing the Water to beiiltered; but, obviously, the water could be supplied by a pipeconnection with a street main, and consequently I do not confine myselfto any particular means of introducing the Water into the uppermostsection of the filter. The ange 8 of the lower filter-section isprovided with pivoted catches 14, adapted to engage the flange 8 on theupper filter-section for the purpose of clamping the two sectionstogether, and thereby rmly securing the ltering-plate or disk inposition, While enabling such plate or disk to be conveniently andquickly removed for the purpose of cleaning the same. The flange 8 onthe lower ltersection rests upon the top wall of the refrigeratorstructure, and consequently the upper filter-section is exposed and canbe conveniently removed and replaced for the purpose of removing andreplacing the ltering plate or disk. This is a very desirableconstruction in a domestic refrigerator, in that it facilitates cleaningthe filter and at the same time enables Water to be supplied to thefilter without opening any part of the refrigerator structure.

In the top portion of the refrigerator, at a point under the door 6, isarranged a hollow Water-cooler composed of a box 15, having a lateralflange 16 at its upper edge, to which is bolted or otherwise detachablysecured a top wall 17, having a surrounding vertically-projecting rim 18in proximity to its edges for retaining in proper position a removableand replaceable casing 19, Fig. 4,which is adapted to rest upon the topwall of the water-cooling box and bear against the inner surface of thesurrounding rim 1S.

The water-cooling box may be suspended within the refrigerator throughthe medium of any devices suitable for the conditions required, and thebox is provided With a tube 20, connecting with the ilterethwaterchainber of the iilter in such manner that the hollow box is constantlysupplied with filtered water. The hollow box is also provided with adischarge-faucet 21, extending through the IOO front wall of therefrigerator structure for the purpose of discharging the cooled Waterwhenever desired.

The removable and replaceable casing 19 serves to eomfine the ice inposition on the water-cooling box, and such casing is provided at itsfront and rear edges with laterallypro jecting flanges 22 to restagainst the front and rear Walls of the refrigerator structure, andthereby close the upper end portions of the front and rear air-fiues 23.The ends of the casing are fiangeless and are respectively located atsome distance from the filter and from one end wall of the refrigeratorstructure for the purpose of providing the air-circulating flues 24,whereby the air rising through the said flues 24 is caused to pass overthe end Walls of the casing 19 and descend through the ice to andthrough lateral air recesses or notches 25, formedin the front and rearwalls of the casing 19.

The flange 16 of the Water-cooling box 15 is provided with a recess ornotch 2G, where such flange bears against the front wall of therefrigerator structure, and this recess or notch 26 is directly beneathand in alignment with the recess or notch 25 in the casing 19, so thatthe air flowing through the recess or notch 25 can descend through therecess or notch 26 into the preserving-chamber 3.

The water-cooling-box is preferably com posed of cast metal surfacedwith porcelain, in order to render it susceptible of being preservedperfectly clean. The hollow watercooling box sustains the ice, and infact constitutes the bottom wall of the ice-chamber, the side walls ofsuch ice-chamber being formed by the removable and replaceable cas ing19. The removability of the casing 19 renders it possible to thoroughlyclean the air-circulating fines, and also to gain access to the entireupper surface of the water-cooling box for wiping it clean.

The rim 18 of the water-cooling box is provided with a dischargeorifice27, communicating with a drip-pipe 28 for the purpose of conducting awaythe drippings resulting from the melted ice.

The hollow water-cooling box is imperferate, except as regards thepoints where it connects with the Water-filter and with thedischarge-faucet, and while it might be possible to cast the hollow boxin a single piece I construct it of two sections, as hereinbeforeexplained, whereby the process of manufacture is facilitated and theinterior can be cleaned if occasion demands.

By my invention I providea novel, simple, efcient, and economicalconstruction which is well adapted for preserving perishable articles,filtering and cooling drinking-water, and thoroughly cleansing theair-circulating fines, the ice-chamber, and the ice-supporting box. Ifit is desired to supply the water to the filter under pressure from astreet-main, the lid or cover 13 should be clamped in position, asusual, to secure a water-tight joint.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination,with a refrigerator havingaprovision-chamber and an ice-chamber, of aWater-filter supported at the top portion of the refrigerator, a hollowwatercooling box composed of imperforate top and bottom wallsconstituting the bottom of the ice-chamber for supporting the ice andprovided with a discharge-faucet and a tube connection with the filter,and a removable and replaceable casing resting upon the hollow box andadapted to be removed through the top of the refrigerator,Vsubstantially as described.

2. The combination, with a refrigerator having a provision-chamber andan ice-chamber, and a top wall provided witha lid or cover and anorifice at one side thereof, of awaterfilter suspended in said orificeandcomprising a detachable section rising above the top Wall of therefrigerator, fastening devices for detachably connecting the saidsection with the base of the filter, and a hollow water-cooling boxconstituting the bottom of the ice-chamber for supporting the ice, andprovided with a discharge-faucet and a tube connection with the filterinside the refrigerator, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a refrigerator having a provision-chamber andan ice-chamber, of a water-filter supported at the top portion of therefrigerator and a hollow Water-cooling box provided with a detachabletop wall, a discharge-faucet, and a tube connection with the filter,substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a refrigerator having a provision-chamber andan ice-chamber, of a water-filter supported at the top portion of the.refrigerator, a hollow watercooling box constituting the bottom of theice-chamber for sustaining the ice, and provided With a surroundingvertically-projecting rim, a discharge-faucet and a tube connection withthe filter, and a removable and replaceable casing resting upon theWatercooling box against the vertically-projecting rim thereof andprovided in its sides with aircirculating recesses or notches,substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a refrigerator having a provision-chamber andan ice-chamber, of a Water-filter supported at the top portion of therefrigerator, a hollow water cooling box constituting the bottom of theicechamber for supporting the ice and provided with a surroundingvertically-projecting rim, a discharge-faucet and a tube connection withthe filter, and a removable and replaceable casing resting upon thewater-cooling box and having its side Walls provided withair-circulating recesses or notches, and lateral flanges to bear againstopposite walls of the refrigerator, substantially as described.

6. The combination, With a refrigerator having a provision-chamber andan ice-cham- IOO IIO

ber, of a Water-filter supported at the top portion of the refrigerator,a hollow watercooling box composed of detachably-connected sections andconstituting the bottom of the ice-chamber for supporting the ice, atube connection between the hollow box and the filter, adischarge-faucet for the box, and a removable and replaceable casingresting upon the water-cooling box, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with a refrigerator having a provision-chamber andan ice-chamber, of a water-filter supported at the top portion of therefrigerator, a hollow Watercooling box composed of detachably-connectedupper and lower sections, one of which is provided with lateral flangeshaving air-circulating recesses or notches, a tube connection beween thehollow box and the filter, a discharge-faucet for the box, andaremovable and replaceable casing resting upon the box and provided withair-circulating recesses or notches in its side walls, andlaterally-provrefrigerator for the purpose of suspending the filtertherein, a water-cooler constituting the bottom of an ioe-chamber andhaving a tube connection with the filter inside the refrigerator, and adischarge-faucet for the watercooler, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 4o my hand and affixed my sealin presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. PIGKETT. [L. s] Witnesses:

H. T. BARBER, T. O. SLATER.

